Re: Availability of dos 3.3 system disk

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

olcott writes ...
> 
> So it looks like EsDOS is the best, it is the fastest,
> and has no problems. Then DiversiDOS is the next
> fastest with no problems. DavidDOS can not do
> an init. ProntoDOS can't copy files greater than
> 255 sectors. Standard AppleDOS has this last
> problem and is very slow. Did I miss anything?
 ....

     Not too much. Getting the correct file size for BIG files does not
prevent Copy II Plus from copying the files correctly when running under that
particular DOS. Aside from giving the wrong length in a CATALOG, I do not
know how the problem affects handling of huge files. In any case, files
larger than 255 sectors are fairly rare.


     As to which "DOS 3.3" is best, that depends upon what features are most
important to you. I use EsDOS for 'everything' because speed and having the
extra 15 sectors mean more to me than having a DOS with whatever fixes or
features the other DOS's have. EsDOS's trailing wildcard character feature is
nice when you are doing a lot of file LOADs and SAVEs from the keyboard.

     If I run into an application EsDOS does not handle, the usual solution
is to use regular DOS 3.3. In one case, DavidDOS worked where EsDOS did not.
(Not having an INIT command is an incovenience you can work around by making
copies of a 'blank' DavidDOS diskette or using the DavidDOS creator disk.)

     ProntoDOS2, the version available on TikTok, offers a TYPE command which
is pretty handy-- you can get a display of a Text file without having to load
in a Text display utility. And, it is the other DOS which frees up the extra
15 sectors.

     Don't have much experience with DiversiDOS. It seems to be a solid, fast
"DOS 3.3"; but, like DavidDOS, it does not give you the extra sectors
available in Prontodos and EsDOS.

     You can try out each of the above plus others and decide which fits you
the best.



Rubywand